Canada Visa for Indian Citizens: Documents, Fees and VFS

Yes. Indian citizens need a Canada visitor visa, officially a temporary resident visa (TRV), for tourism, family visits and short business trips, even if they already hold a US visa. You apply online through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), pay CAD 100 plus CAD 85 for biometrics, give fingerprints and a photo at a VFS Global visa application centre in India, and send your passport in for the visa sticker once approved.

Visa, eTA or super visa: which one fits an Indian passport

Canada splits visitors into visa-exempt nationals, who need only an online Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly in, and visa-required nationals, who need a TRV. India is visa-required.

IRCC also runs an eTA route for a short list of visa-required countries whose citizens have held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years or hold a valid US non-immigrant visa. As of October 2026, that list has 17 countries, including Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia and Malaysia since 2026. India is not on it. An Indian passport holder with a B1/B2 US visa or an old Canadian visa still has to apply for a full visitor visa, not an eTA.

Tourism, visiting relatives or friends, and short business meetings or conferences: visitor visa (TRV).
Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who want long stays: super visa.

A visa does not guarantee entry. The Canada Border Services Agency officer at the airport decides whether to admit you and for how long, usually up to six months.

Where Indian citizens apply and give biometrics

The application is made online through the IRCC Portal or an IRCC secure account; the New Delhi visa office handles applications from India.

After you submit and pay, IRCC sends a biometric instruction letter. You then book an appointment with VFS Global, IRCC's official visa application centre (VAC) provider in India. As of October 2026, IRCC lists biometrics collection centres in these cities:

Ahmedabad
Bengaluru
Chandigarh
Chennai
Hyderabad
Jalandhar
Kolkata
Mumbai
New Delhi
Pune

IRCC generally expects you to give biometrics within 30 days of the instruction letter, so book promptly. Biometrics are normally reusable for 10 years. Children aged 13 and under and applicants aged 80 and over are exempt.

VFS Global charges its own service fee in rupees and sells optional extras such as courier return. These are separate from IRCC's fees; check current amounts on the VFS Global Canada India page linked from IRCC.

Fees as of October 2026

IRCC fees are charged in Canadian dollars and paid online by credit or debit card when you submit.

Visitor visa: CAD 100 per person, single or multiple entry.
Family maximum for visitor visas: CAD 500 for five or more family members applying together.
Biometrics: CAD 85 per person.
Biometrics family maximum: CAD 170 for two or more family members applying together.
Super visa: CAD 100 per person plus CAD 85 biometrics.

Document checklist for Indian applicants

IRCC's online portal produces a personal checklist, but the New Delhi visa office also publishes an additional document checklist for temporary resident visas (form IMM 5881, dated May 2026). It sets out extras that Indian applicants are expected to provide. Documents in a language other than English or French, such as Hindi or a regional language, need a certified translation.

For everyone:

Passport valid for the whole of your planned trip, plus copies of all old or cancelled passports as proof of travel history.
Family Information Form (IMM 5707), fully completed, dated and signed.
Schedule 1 (IMM 5257 SCH1) if you answered "yes" to any background question.

Proof of funds for tourists and family visitors, as the New Delhi checklist lists them:

Income tax returns (ITR) for the past two years.
Bank statements or bank passbook covering the past six months.
Supporting evidence such as salary slips, employment letter, pension proof, business registration or investments.

Work and ties to India:

Employed applicants: a signed original letter on company letterhead granting leave, showing your name, position, current salary, date of joining and the employer's full contact details. This is what Indian applicants often call an NOC.
Retired applicants: a retirement or pension certificate showing the pension amount.
Students travelling outside holidays: a letter from the school or college confirming enrolment, good standing and approved absence.

If someone else is paying for your trip:

A signed letter from the sponsor, a copy of their passport or photo ID, and a bank certificate showing enough funds, all dated within three months of applying.
An explanation of how the sponsor is related to you.

Visiting family or friends in Canada:

An invitation letter stating the purpose and length of the visit.
The number of people in the host's household and a copy of the host's Canadian citizenship or immigration status document.
Proof of the host's income, such as a Notice of Assessment, employment letter, pay stubs or bank statements; a letter of good standing from the school if the host is a student.
Proof of relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate.

Tourists should add an itinerary with flight and hotel bookings. Business visitors need a Canadian company invitation or conference registration letter, plus an employer letter.

How to apply from India step by step

Check your passport validity; renew first if it will expire soon, because the visa cannot run past the passport's expiry.
Sign in to the IRCC Portal or secure account, answer the eligibility questions, fill in the form and upload your documents, including the New Delhi additional checklist items.
If you hold a valid US non-immigrant visa, upload a copy. IRCC's help centre says applicants who held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or hold a valid US visa may be processed faster under its CAN+ arrangement, though this is not a guarantee.
Pay CAD 100 plus CAD 85 by card and submit.
Book and attend your VFS Global biometrics appointment after the instruction letter arrives.
If approved, follow the passport request letter in your account to submit your passport through VFS Global so the visa counterfoil can be placed in it.

Submit the same passport you used on the application; a new one can cause delays. You cannot travel until the visa is printed in it.

Processing times for applications from India

IRCC does not publish a fixed timeline. Its online processing times tool shows a current estimate when you select "Visitor visa (from outside Canada)" and India as the country you are applying from. The figure is an estimate based on recent applications, not a maximum or a guarantee, and it does not include the time needed to give biometrics or return your passport.

Check the tool on the day you apply and avoid non-refundable flights until the visa is in your passport. Incomplete applications and late biometrics are common avoidable causes of delay.

Super visa for Indian parents and grandparents

For stays longer than six months, the super visa lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians stay up to five years per visit, with multiple entries over up to 10 years.

The child or grandchild must send a signed invitation letter and show they meet IRCC's minimum income requirement.
You need private medical insurance from a Canadian insurer or an approved foreign insurer, valid for at least one year from entry.
You must complete an immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician.
Fees are CAD 100 plus CAD 85 for biometrics.

Refusal risks for Indian applicants

Officers must be satisfied that you will leave at the end of your stay and can support yourself. Common weak points:

Thin or inconsistent finances, such as a large unexplained deposit just before applying, or ITRs that do not match bank credits.
Weak ties to India: no stable job, business, property or close family to return to.
Unclear purpose, such as a vague itinerary or an invitation letter that does not match the form.
Undisclosed previous refusals from Canada, the US, the UK, Australia or the Schengen area.

If refused, read the reasons in your account, address each concern with stronger evidence and reapply. Do not hide the earlier refusal.

Beware of fake agents

IRCC fees are paid only through the official online portal, and VFS Global does not make visa decisions. Be wary of anyone in India promising a guaranteed visa, a fast-track "setting", or a job offer bundled with a tourist visa. Submitting false documents can lead to refusal and a five-year ban from Canada. If you use a paid representative, IRCC requires them to be a licensed consultant, lawyer or notary.

Frequently asked questions

Can Indians get a Canada eTA if they have a US visa?

No. As of October 2026, India is not on IRCC's list of visa-required countries eligible for the eTA route. Indian citizens need a visitor visa even with a valid US visa, though the US visa can help your application.

How much is the Canada visitor visa fee in India?

IRCC charges CAD 100 for the visa and CAD 85 for biometrics, paid online in Canadian dollars. VFS Global adds its own service fee in rupees.

Where can I give biometrics for Canada in India?

At VFS Global centres in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune, after you receive your biometric instruction letter.

How many months of bank statements are needed for a Canada visitor visa from India?

The New Delhi visa office checklist asks for six months of bank statements and income tax returns for the past two years, plus supporting proof such as salary slips.

Do I need to send my original passport for a Canada visa?

Not when applying online. You upload a copy and send the passport through VFS Global only after IRCC requests it.

Can my parents stay in Canada for more than six months?

Yes, through the super visa, which allows stays of up to five years per visit if the host meets the income requirement and the parents have qualifying medical insurance.

Rules, fees, VAC locations and processing times change, and the eTA list for visa-required countries has grown in recent years. Before you apply, confirm every detail on the official IRCC pages at canada.ca and the VFS Global centre page linked from them, and pay only through IRCC's own portal.